Pomeranian

Description

Believed
to have descended from wolf-spitz type dogs, the Pomeranian shares the
same ancestors with the other arctic breeds such as the
Samoyed and
Keeshond which were used to work as guard and sledge animals, however
the smallest were kept as companions. They were established as a breed
in the eighteenth century after they drew the interest of the English
monarchy and upon her marriage to King George 111, Queen Charlotte
brought large white Pomeranians to England in 1761. It was not
until Queen Victoria's reign that this breed became one of the most
popular toy breeds and the 9 to 13.6 kg dogs of Queen Charlotte's time
now weigh 5.5.kg.

Temperament

They make a delightful family member with their extroverted
and lively demeanor, this dog is very intelligent. However, owing
to their small size and high energy level, they are not recommended
for families with young children. Suitable for apartment dwellers who are
prepared to exercise their dog on a regular basis they also make loyal
and intelligent companions for the elderly.

Appearance

Height: 1828cm
(7-11in)

Weight:
2-4kgs (4-9lbs)

Their eyes
which are most often small and almond-shaped, can be round and large as
well. With their heavily plumed tail, they are usually a solid
colour, but may have black shadings or may be parti-coloured.These small, compact, alert and dainty dogs
display great glamour with their crowning glory, a dense, double coat,
made up of long, harsh, standoff guard hairs and a soft woolly
undercoat.

Grooming

They
do not require as much grooming as some of the other long haired breeds
but be prepared to brush your dog at least two or three times a week if
not more. Grooming time should be enjoyed by both your Pomeranian
and yourself. Extra brushing will be required when your dog is shedding
its coat and the dead coat must be removed as soon as possible to allow
the new coat to come through ensuring that all loose hair be removed or
the result will be horrible mats which may have to be removed by
clipping if let go too far. If you don't have the
time to bath or groom your dog, your local dog grooming
salon provides these services.

Life Expectancy

10-12 Years

Health Concerns

This sturdy little dog suffers from few health problems
with the major problem occasionally being found in many of the "toy"
breeds being patella luxation, or slipping kneecaps. Collapsing
trachea is a another problem that may be found in this breed and an
affected Pomeranian may make a sound like a honking noise when excited
or they may cough as if something is stuck in there throat. Coat
loss problems which also can affect them is often referred to as black
skin disease which can be derived by many things such as Hypothyroidism
or low thyroid, cushings disease, eczema, mites and fungus infections.
Entropian or ingrown eyelashes can occasionally occur in the Pomeranian
breed.

Suitability

Equally happy
occupied in a city apartment or on the country farmstead, they are great
for novice owners, and are good with older, more considerate children.
Being very intelligent dogs they will respond well to obedience
training and make loyal companions who are protective of their owners
and surprisingly enough make good watchdogs as they are generally not
frightened of even the largest dog. Often being used in obedience
competitions, as hearing assistance dogs and search and rescue dogs,
they equally make excellent therapy dogs, and can do wonders when
visiting local nursing homes or hospitals or by consoling sick family
members and friends.

Toy Dogs: the common feature amongst these dogs is that they are
all small,
even if they come in a variety of different shapes.
A few in this group include the Chihuahua,
Pekingese
and Havanese
to mention a few.